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Offices should incentivise those who use cycles: Minister

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Noida, Dec 31 (IANS) Leading a six-km-long cycle rally here to promote the cycling habit among citizens, Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday urged organisations to develop schemes to incentivise the use of cycles for coming to offices as a way to curb air pollution.

Over 500 cycling enthusiasts took part in the cycle rallies here and in the neighbouring district capital of Ghaziabad by state-run Indraprastha Gas Ltd (IGL), which distributes environment-friendly compressed natural gas (CNG) for vehicles and piped national gas (PNG) to consumers in the National Capital Region (NCR).

The Environment Minister, who flagged off the rally along with local Member of Parliament Mahesh Sharma, noted the benefits of physical activities like cycling to maintain good health.

A series of cycle rallies called “cyclothons” are being organized across 76 cities across India by various fuel retail companies under the aegis of Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA).

With a direct relation between cycling and conserving transport fuel, last month the PCRA had organised the national capital’s first Saksham Pedal Delhi Cyclothon that saw participation of around 5,000 people and which included the National Cycling Championships as a component feature.

India’s 150 elite cyclists were seen in action at the National Cycling Championships in November, including Mumbai-based film actor and cycling enthusiast Farhan Akhtar, who is the brand ambassador of Saksham Pedal Delhi.

Annoucing the event, PCRA Executive Director Alok Tripathi had said the transformations in Indian society had made it all the more urgent to bring about a change of mindset on fuel use, and that the cyclothon had been timed to coincide with the seasonal worsening of air pollution in Delhi.

–IANS
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Corona

Covid toll in Karnataka is a worrying sign for state government

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Even though Karnataka recorded the lowest number of Covid deaths in April since the virus struck first in 2020, the state is recording a rise in the positivity rate (1.50 per cent). Five people died from the Covid infections in April as per the statistics released by the state health department. In March, the positivity rate stood around 0.53 per cent. In the first week of April it came down to 0.38 per cent, second week registered 0.56 per cent, third week it rose to 0.79 per cent and by end of April the Covid positivity rate touched 1.19 per cent.

on an average 500 persons used to succumb everyday in the peak of Covid infection, as per the data. Health experts said that the mutated Coronavirus is losing its fierce characteristics as vaccination, better treatment facilities and awareness among the people have contributed to the lesser number of Covid deaths.

During the 4th and 6th of April two deaths were reported in Bengaluru, one in Gadag district on April 8, two deaths were reported from Belagavi and Vijayapura on April 30. The first Covid case was reported in the state in March 2020 and three Covid deaths were recorded in the month. In the following month 21 people became victims to the deadly virus, and May 2020 recorded 22 deaths. The death toll recorded everyday after May crossed three digits. However, the third wave, which started in January 2

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